SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRO-PNEUMATIC DEVICE

• US 20120298895A1
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: Zula, Daniel P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,857,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 251/129.01
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/662 characterised by specified functions of the control system components
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/683 in pneumatic systems or parts thereof in vacuum systems B60T13/72
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/3255 Systems in which the braking action is dependent on brake pedal data
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/02 electric F16K31/004 takes precedence; magnetic

Abstract

An electro-pneumatic device includes a sensor portion and a valve portion. The sensor portion, which includes a sensor, receives and transmits electronic control signals of a plurality of frequencies. The sensor portion is powered by a first of the frequencies of the received control signals. The valve portion electrically communicates with the sensor. The valve portion includes a valve that is alternately set to an open state and a closed state based on a second of the plurality of frequencies of the received control signals. The sensor senses a delivery pressure of the valve and transmits electronic data signals representing the delivery pressure at a third of the plurality of frequencies.

Claims

1. An electro-pneumatic device, comprising:

a sensor portion, including a sensor, receiving and transmitting electronic control signals of a plurality of frequencies, the sensor portion being powered by a first of the frequencies of the received control signals; and

a valve portion electrically communicating with the sensor, the valve portion including a valve being alternately set to an open state and a closed state based on a second of the plurality of frequencies of the received control signals, the sensor sensing a delivery pressure of the valve and transmitting electronic data signals representing the delivery pressure at a third of the plurality of frequencies.

2. The electro-pneumatic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the sensor portion receives the electronic control signals from an associated power and control bus; and

the sensor portion transmits the electronic data signals to the associated power and control bus.

3. The electro-pneumatic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the first frequency is about 10 times the second frequency; and

the third frequency is about 100 times the second frequency.

4. The electro-pneumatic device as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

the second frequency is about 66 Hz to about 100 Hz.

5. The electro-pneumatic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the valve portion receives the error-check pulse signals at a fourth frequency.

6. The electro-pneumatic device as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

the first frequency is about 10 times the second frequency;

the third frequency is about 100 times the second frequency; and

the fourth frequency is about 5 times the second frequency.

7. The electro-pneumatic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sensor portion includes:

a power filter filtering the first frequency of the received control signals, the filtered first frequency being transmitted to the sensor for powering the sensor.

8. The electro-pneumatic device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the sensor portion includes:

a communication filter generating the third frequency of the transmitted data signals representing the delivery pressure.

9. The electro-pneumatic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the sensor portion receives the control signals at the third frequency, the control signals controlling sensor portion electronics to transmit the data signals representing the delivery pressure.

10. A communication system between an electro-pneumatic valve and an electronic control unit, comprising:

a power and control bus;

an electronic control unit electrically communicating with the power and control bus;

an electro-pneumatic device electrically communicating with the power and control bus, the electro-pneumatic device including;

a sensor portion transmitting/receiving electronic control messages to/from the electronic control unit, the electronic control messages including control signals at a plurality of frequencies, the sensor being powered by a first of the frequencies of the received control signals; and

a valve portion electrically communicating with the sensor portion, the valve portion including a valve that is alternately set to an open state and a closed state based on a second of the plurality of frequencies of the received control signals, the sensor sensing a delivery pressure of the valve and transmitting to the electronic control unit via the power and control bus, data signals representing the delivery pressure, the data signals being transmitted at a third of the plurality of frequencies.

11. The communication system between an electro-pneumatic valve and an electronic control unit as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

the first frequency is about 10 times the second frequency; and

the third frequency is about 100 times the second frequency.

12. The communication system between an electro-pneumatic valve and an electronic control unit as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

the electronic control unit superimposes the third frequency onto one of the first and second frequencies of the control messages transmitted to the electro-pneumatic device.

13. The communication system between an electro-pneumatic valve and an electronic control unit as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

the electronic control unit transmits control signals to the electro-pneumatic device at the third frequency.

14. The communication system between an electro-pneumatic valve and an electronic control unit as set forth in claim 13, wherein:

the valve portion receives error-check data signals from the electronic control unit at a fourth frequency.

15. The communication system between an electro-pneumatic valve and an electronic control unit as set forth in claim 14, wherein the sensor portion includes:

a power filter filtering the first frequency of the received control signals, the filtered first frequency being transmitted to the sensor for powering the sensor; and

a communication filter filtering the third frequency of the received control signals received from the electronic control unit and filtering the third frequency of the data signals transmitted to the electronic control unit.

16. A method for controlling an electro-pneumatic device, the method comprising:

transmitting a control signal of a first frequency from an electronic control unit to an electro-pneumatic device, via a power control bus, for powering a sensor in the electro-pneumatic device;

transmitting a control signal of a second frequency from the electronic control unit to the electro-pneumatic device, via the communication bus, for controlling a state of a valve in the electro-pneumatic device;

sensing a delivery pressure of the valve; and

transmitting a data signal, representing the delivery pressure, of a third frequency from the electro-pneumatic device to the electronic control unit.

17. The method for controlling an electro-pneumatic device as set forth in claim 16, further including:

superimposing the third frequency onto one of the first and second frequencies of the control signals transmitted from the electronic control unit to the electro-pneumatic device.

18. The method for controlling an electro-pneumatic device as set forth in claim 16, further including:

filtering the first frequency of the control signals received from the electronic control unit; and

powering the sensor with the filtered first frequency of the control signals.